Inside Pitch

Ryan Malashock

04/28/2009

Cox Extends Streak
Freshman third baseman Zack Cox had two hits Tuesday night, extending his hitting streak to six games.

That's a season-high for the 6-foot, 215-pounder from Louisville, Ky., who ripped off hits in five straight contests earlier this season. Cox slapped a one-out RBI single the other way into left-center field during Arkansas' three-run second inning.

He then crushed a solo home run to right field in the fourth.

Cox also pitched two innings, giving up one run on Bryant Hernandez's solo home run. He got out of the ninth on a great play by UA shortstop Scott Lyons, who turned a bobbled ball by second baseman Ben Tschepikow into an inning-ending double play. Cox then worked around a one-out single to work a scoreless 10th.

Porlier's Strong Six

Arkansas roughed up Oklahoma right-hander Stephen Porlier for three runs in the second inning, the last two coming on a towering home run by sophomore Brett Eibner.

But Porlier settled down, retiring 12 of the 13 batters he faced during his last four innings, the exception being Cox's sixth homer this season. Porlier gave up five hits, walked only one and struck out five.

Porlier, a 6-foot-3 junior, was making only his third start of the season.

Short Hops

Junior college transfer Bryan Bingham made his second start and only his fourth appearance this season for Arkansas. The 6-foot-6 right-hander threw 49 pitches in two innings of work and allowed two runs on two hits and struck out two. ... Hernandez, OU's shortstop, led the Sooners with three runs and three hits. ... Junior right-hander Jeremy Heatley threw 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief during his first appearance since March 17. ... Arkansas didn't leave any runners on base until the eighth inning. ... The actual attendance for Tuesday night's game was 8,212.